What are some examples of story maps that showcase social and environmental issues?

1 Climate change and health

One example of a story map that highlights the link between climate change and health is Climate Change and Human Health, created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This story map uses maps, charts, videos, and text to show how climate change affects various aspects of human health, such as air quality, infectious diseases, food security, and mental health. It also provides examples of adaptation and mitigation actions that can reduce the health risks of climate change.

2 Indigenous mapping

Another example of a story map that showcases the importance of indigenous mapping is Indigenous Peoples' Mapping of the Arctic, created by the Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat (IPS) and the Snowchange Cooperative. This story map uses maps, photos, audio, and text to share the stories and perspectives of indigenous communities in the Arctic region, who have been mapping their lands, waters, and cultures for generations. It also illustrates how indigenous mapping can contribute to environmental conservation, cultural preservation, and social justice.

4 Refugee crisis

A fourth example of a story map that reveals the scale and complexity of the refugee crisis is The Refugee Project, created by Hyperakt and Ekene Ijeoma. This story map uses maps, data, and text to show the global movements of refugees from 1975 to 2017, based on data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It also provides historical and contextual information on the causes and consequences of each major refugee situation, and how refugees are distributed and hosted around the world.

5 Urban planning

A fifth example of a story map that illustrates the challenges and opportunities of urban planning is Singapore: A Smart Nation, created by the ESRI Singapore team. This story map uses maps, photos, videos, and text to show how Singapore, a small and densely populated city-state, has transformed itself into a smart nation that leverages technology, innovation, and collaboration to improve the quality of life of its citizens. It also showcases some of the smart initiatives and solutions that Singapore has implemented or is planning to implement in various domains, such as transportation, environment, health, and education.

6 Social justice

A sixth example of a story map that highlights the issues and movements of social justice is Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America, created by the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond. This story map uses maps, data, and text to expose the practice of redlining, which was a system of racial discrimination in mortgage lending that shaped the patterns of segregation and inequality in American cities from the 1930s to the 1960s. It also allows users to explore the historical maps and documents that reveal how federal agencies graded neighborhoods based on their racial and economic characteristics, and how these grades affected the access and opportunities of residents.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?